HITMAN™ - GOTY Legacy Pack review

Released in 2018, HITMAN™ is an episodic action-adventure stealth video game with the objective to assassinate targets, allowing the player to submerge in a world of high-stakes spies, undercover operations, and discreet eliminations. Developed by IO Interactive, the game introduces us to Agent 47, a bald-headed ruthless assassin traveling across the globe to smite selected targets in various ways. Expanding upon the success of the original game, IO Interactive bought us the HITMAN™ - Game of the Year (GOTY) Legacy Pack that serves as a titanic update for the series, bringing in two previous seasons of the game with a handful of added content and improvements.

Diving into the Thrilling World of Assassination

The principal charm of the HITMAN™ - GOTY Legacy Pack lies in its gameplay. It provides the players with a massive sandbox environment, allowing them plenty of discretion to decide when, where, and how to assassinate their targets. Players can use stealth and subterfuge to assassinate their enemies or stage “accidents” to remove their targets while drawing minimum attention. The pack includes all episodes from Season 1 and Season 2, along with remastered versions of six unique locations – Paris, Sapienza, Marrakesh, Bangkok, Colorado, and Hokkaido.

Moreover, the pack also introduces a ‘Patient Zero’ bonus campaign featuring four new missions. It adds Extra Contracts, suits, weapons, and three themed Escalation Contracts, which enhance the replayability of the game, rendering a unique experience laden with challenges and intricate strategies.

As you step deeply into the world of HITMAN™ - GOTY Legacy Pack, you'll appreciate the attention to gameplay detail. Each location is like a living, breathing world full of vibrant characters and intricate set pieces. Depending on each player's style, they can choose to orchestrate a flawless, blood-free operation or let chaos and panic ensue. Your choice will ultimately shape your gameplay experience.

The player, Agent 47, can disguise himself in numerous ways to blend into the environment, giving a whole new dimension to stealth assassinations. Disguises include but are not limited to the costumes of security guards, cooks, repairmen, and even fashion models. Blend in, acquire information, and quietly dispatch your target without raising an eyebrow.

What sets HITMAN™ - GOTY Legacy Pack apart is how it encourages players to be creative with their hits. The game arms you with an extensive range of tools and weapons, from the mundane to the highly deadly - ranging from mundane screwdrivers and scissors to sniper rifles and customized explosives. Use your surroundings, resulting in a plethora of assassination styles- you could poison your target's drink, trigger accidental explosions, or use lethal melee to dispatch them swiftly.

Moreover, the game features an intricate crowd system where the characters react dynamically depending on their moves. The non-playable characters (NPCs) have their patterns and routines that you can observe, exploit, or even disrupt. This aspect adds a unique layer to your strategy-making and makes your hits feel even more satisfying.

Additionally, one cannot ignore the Contracts Mode, which remains a fan favorite. In this mode, players can choose NPCs in the game to designate as unique targets, creating new contracts and assigning specific rules for assassination. These contracts can then be shared with other players online, thereby adding an interactive community element to the game.

Elusive targets, a unique gameplay feature, give the game an exciting sense of urgency. They appear for a limited time, and you only have one chance to destroy them. Failure to destroy or escape results in irretrievable loss of the target.

Falling Short of Perfection

However, it is important to note that while HITMAN™ - GOTY Legacy Pack is a remarkable improvement, it is not without flaws. It retains AI issues from the base game, where non-playable characters occasionally behave erratically or fail to respond appropriately to the player’s actions. Moreover, the narrative spread across episodic content might feel disjointed to some players, pulling them out of the immersive experience.

Surveying Users' Impressions

Judging by player impressions, the HITMAN™ - GOTY Legacy Pack has received generally positive reviews. Longtime fans appreciate the fact that it retains the original game's essence while offering updated, modern gameplay. The multitude of ways to take down a target and the inclusion of new content in the Legacy Pack offer ample replayability, making it an enticing package for both new and veteran players.

Nevertheless, we can admit that the game could use some improvement in its storytelling methods and overcome minor issues with artificial intelligence. Despite these minor setbacks, the sheer creativity and freedom allowed by the game, amplified by the vast amounts of new and remastered content, ensure that HITMAN™ - GOTY Legacy Pack remains a significant entry in the HITMAN™ series that's worth exploring.